of Rural Art and Taste. 



265 



united by their ovaries, and the union con- I 

 tinues akmg the center of the back of two of i 

 the sepals for about j of the length. 



Bro?igh/onia sangninea is of a crimson 

 color, rarely found among orchids. It lasts 

 in bloom a considerable time. Some culti- 

 vators have found it difficult to grow. A high 

 temperature with plenty of moisture is what 

 it seems to require. 



Passijlora cimtabarina has been in flower 

 for a considerable time. It only requires an 

 increase of breadth in the petals to be a 

 valuable climber, and might repay the atten- 

 tion of hybridizers. It is of free growth, 

 with large, dark green leaves, producing the 

 red flowers freely. If to the other (qualifica- 

 tions could be added a well formed flower of 

 the same color, it would be a decided acquisi- 

 tion for the greenhouse. 



Desfontaiiiea spinosa is a Peruvian shrub, 

 much resembling a holly, and when in flower 

 is very beautiful. The flowers are tubular, 

 bright scarlet, with a yellow limb, and are 

 freely produced. It is nearly hardy, and 

 will stand out of doors in favorable situations. 



A Circular Subtrtypieal Bed. — The 

 following is an arrangement of a flower bed, 

 planted on the grounds of Massey k Hudson, 

 Chestertown, Md., and much admired : 

 Centre, a tall growing Canna, next a circle of 

 ' dwarf, dark-leaved Cannas, then a circle of 

 Ooleus Verschafiielti, then a circle of Centaurea 

 Gymnocarpa, and an outer circle of Alternan- 

 thera Parychoides. 



J*ertiettya Florahnnda. — This is one 

 of the handsomest hardy shrubs we have for 

 the decoration of the conservatory, and for 

 such a purpose alone should have a place in 

 every collection. In looking through the 

 gardens of J. H. Jessop, Esq., Marlfied, 

 Cabbinteely, a few days ago, we observed 

 in the conservatory amongst other choice 

 plants a very handsome specimen of this 

 Pernettya, completely clothed with a crop of 

 its handsome berries. Any one seeing this 

 plant in the state it is now in at Marlfield, 

 cannot fail to appreciate its value for decora- 

 tive purposes. Planted out in the pleasure 

 ground in the same place we observed two 



large American Aloes (one the variegated 

 variety) which were in the best possible 

 condition. The only protection they receive 

 is that of a mat or two, drawn round them 

 during severe weather in winter. — Gardeners^ 

 Record. 



Lilac Dr. i/wrf/e?/.— This is by far the 

 best addition which has been made of late 

 years to our hardy forcing shrubs. We hear 

 and see a good deal of the French produc- 

 tions in the way of white Lilac, but their 

 plants are large before they are fit for their 

 method of forcing. Here, however, we have 

 a sort that will in a short time supersede that, 

 with all persons who require to force, since it 

 sets its buds on small plants, and opens freely. 

 We have some plants eighteen inches high, 

 with a dozen clusters of bloom, and if forced 

 in a shady house, it comes a good white. 

 When it is more plentiful, and the plants get 

 up to, say, three feet or so in height, there 

 will be no more showy plant for a greenhouse. 

 A good deal more has been made of the 

 French practice of forcing white lilac than it 

 deserves. In fact, if a demand were to spring 

 up for it in our markets, a good supply would 

 soon follow, because if the tops are cut ofi", 

 and put in with bloom-buds well set and 

 ripened, they will push their bloom as fine and 

 as good as whole plants, supposing ahvays 

 that they are forced in some sort of dark 

 house, say a cellar-like mushroom-house. — 

 Florist and Pomologist. 



Subtropical Bed,— A very effective bed 

 was planted, this summer, in the gardens of 

 the Luxembourg, Paris. It consisted simply 

 of a bed of Papyrus plants, edged with Cype- 

 rus alternifolius. The bed was raised a lit- 

 tle in the centre, and covered with a rich 

 mulching of decayed leaves. It was at once 

 graceful and effective. In the same garden 

 was an edging to a shrubbery border, formed 

 by Centranthus ruber, and its white variety, 

 planted alternately. This formed a very bright 

 and pleasing belt. 



A woman near Buffalo has, so far this season, 

 cleared twenty-five hundred dollars from a 

 ' strawberry patch of two acres. 



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